Sound output unit and a method of operating it

Abstract

A system and a method for outputting sound where one or more first sound outputting units are identified and other, second, sound outputting units define a sound delay in accordance with the relative positions between each sound outputting unit and the first sound outputting unit(s). Microphones may be added to e.g. determine the amount and positions of persons.The system may also use Intelligent cameras to determine number of people their position the room face direction and age distribution in order optimize audio level and equalisation of the frequency response—like in a church with many elder people or in a young audience at a live concert.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating a plurality of sound output units positioned in a room, space or venue, each sound output unit comprising:
 a position determining element, 
 an audio signal input, 
 a sound generator, and 
 a signal delay circuit configured to set a delay between the audio signal input and the sound generator, 
 
       the method comprising:
 identifying one or more first sound output unit(s) of the plurality of sound output units, 
 determining, for each of one or more second sound output units, not comprising a first sound output unit, and by the positioning determining elements of the first sound output unit(s) and the second output unit:
 a relative distance from the pertaining second sound output unit to the first unit(s) based on time-of-flight measurements of radio waves between position determining elements and, 
 based on the distance, a delay setting of the signal delay circuit of the pertaining second sound output unit. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining a direction of the second sound output unit(s). 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of receiving, by one or more microphones, sound from surroundings of at least one of the second sound output units. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of estimating, based on the sound received, a number of persons in the surroundings of the second output unit(s). 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of rotating one or more second sound output unit(s). 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the determination of the relative distance and the delay setting is performed intermittently. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the second sound output unit comprises a movement sensor triggering a determination of the relative distance. 
     
     
       8. A system comprising a controller and a plurality of sound output units, each sound output unit comprising:
 a position determining element, 
 an audio signal input, 
 a sound generator, and 
 a signal delay circuit configured to set a delay between the audio signal input and the sound generator, 
 
       the controller being configured to identify one or more first sound output unit(s) of the plurality of sound output units, 
       each of one or more second sound output units of the plurality of sound output units, not comprising a first sound output unit, being configured to:
 determine, based on a radio wave-based time-of-flight measurement between position determining elements based on an output from the positioning determining elements of the first sound output unit(s) and the second output unit, a relative distance from the pertaining second sound output unit to the first unit(s) and 
 determine, based on the distance, a delay setting of the signal delay circuit. 
 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the second sound output units comprises a direction sensor. 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the second sound output units comprises one or more microphones. 
     
     
       11. The system according to any of  claim 8 , wherein the position determining element is detachable from the sound generator. 
     
     
       12. A sound output unit for use in the system according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the one or more second sound output units is configured to intermittently determine of the relative distance and the delay setting. 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more second sound output units comprises a movement sensor configured to trigger a determination of the relative distance. 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a position between multiple identified first sound output units, and wherein each of the one or more second sound output units is configured to determine the distance or relative position between that of the position and the pertaining second sound output unit.